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There’s just nobody like Togashi Yoshihiro.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – material like this makes me wonder how Togashi is able to write as quickly as he does, not complain that he isn’t faster. The layers upon layers of subterfuge and psychological intrigue he builds into these conflicts are virtually unparalleled – a “fight” in a Togashi series isn’t just the physical act of combat, but every strata of the mental struggles which seem to extend all the way down to the Earth’s core.
I don’t know that there’s been another anime in recent years that can sustain tension at the level this one does over the course of 22 minutes. There’s just no end to it, and to me this approach is so much more effective than simply showing superpowered badasses going at each other. The majority of the narrative is spent putting us inside the characters’ heads, making us feel what they feel – which in this arc is mostly high anxiety and fight-or-flight induced adrenaline on overdrive. The most obvious example of this is the episode focused on Knov’s (more on him shortly) reconnaissance mission, but it extends to pretty much everyone in the cast – including the enemy.
There’s no question that the dominant figure in this episode is Pouf – it’s he more than anyone that’s dictating what we see on the ground ( and in the air). This is really the first time I’ve truly felt that Morel was psychologically and strategically bested by anyone (or was he?), the first time we’ve seen him legitimately off his game. It’s fitting that the Narrator says that Morel realized subconsciously when the attack started that he’d underestimated the enemy, because I think we have as well. Youpi’s ability to adapt and learn on the fly was shockingly rapid, Pitou’s sudden ability to step outside himself and view the situation from a higher perspective was shockingly unexpected, and then there’s Shaiapouf.
If there’s a headline this week, it’s the arrival of Pouf as a true force. His overwrought panic attacks and neurotic tics made it easy to dismiss him as the weak link in the Royal Guard, but he’s turned out to be far more formidable than expected, both mentally and in terms of pure Nen power. His “Beelzebub” ability is insanely strong (I could see a possible case that it’s too strong, in dramatic terms) – he can create up to billions of tiny copies of himself, an ability which he was using to escape Smoky Jail right under Morel’s (massive) nose. I sensed something was wrong here, so did most new viewers I’m guessing, and Morel certainly did too. His ultimate decision – to attack the cocoon and bring down Smoky Jail, which he now assumes is useless – seems like it’s playing right into Pouf’s hands. But it may just have been the best of several bad options.
The net result of Morel’s decision is that he’s freed Pouf’s original body to join his clones – which are are far weaker – outside. If Morel had waited it out he might have been able to crush Pouf’s body – shrunk to the size of a bee as a result of Beelzebub and hidden inside the cocoon – and put an end to him. As is Pouf and his clones are free to roam, and Morel allows himself to be Shanghaied by Pouf and his pipe stolen. But as a result of his decision, he’s now free to assist his subordinates, who’re in desperate need of assistance. Whether Morel subconsciously knew this was his only choice or it was merely good fortune at work is left to us to judge, but it’s probably a little of both.
When Morel finds him, Knuckle has just engaged Youpi again, enraged at having found Shoot to be missing. Morel fortunately knows his student better than anyone else, and has prepared for the contingency of Knuckle losing his cool, establishing a restriction that he’d only create angry clones of Knuckle when that happens, and that Knuckle could only act once he’d cooled down. Meanwhile Pouf’s little clones are performing recon far more effectively than Flutter’s dragonflies ever could – which is also a clever way of bringing us up to speed on what’s happening everywhere (except underground). Gon continues his standoff with Pitou, and Hina is headed underground with a wounded Bizeff in tow (she was ready to leave altogether but he tempted her to rescue him with the promise of treasure) and Welfin stalking them. Ominously, we see this cocoon Pouf says is a “human that was captured a few days ago” – we can assume the identity of that person – and is “about to hatch”. However, Pouf’s spy mission has inadvertently tipped off the enemy to the nature of his ability – Killua and Meleoron, unseen, have witnessed the tiny clones at work.
There’s one more wild card to be played here – who was it that moved Shoot, who was clearly too wounded to move himself? I’d been suspecting for a while that we’d see Knov find a way to insert himself into the conflict somehow – even in his reduced state the man still has a wealth of pride – and it appears that he rescued Shoot and brought him to a medical facility for emergency assistance. Judging by the looks of the place I’m assuming that before the battle started, Knov established a portal to another of his rooms where he’d set up Doctors with medical equipment, standing by in case one of the attack party needed it. That would, of course, mean that Knov must have mustered the courage to enter the inner sanctum of the palace itself in order to get to Shoot – and given the state he was in, that surely couldn’t have been easy for him.
To say that the state of play at the moment is in flux would be a huge understatement. Knuckle (thanks to the foresight of his boss) has landed another blow on Youpi, and I’m wondering if Potclean’s cumulative interest is finally reaching a critical stage as that battle seems to have turned against him. Morel has only his remaining Deep Purple puppets to fight with and no means to fight any other way unless he finds his pipe, and Meleoron and Killua are currently unaccounted for by either side. Pouf worries for Youpi but remains focused on the King, who much to his dismay has vanished. In fact it’s Pouf who seems to be the key player in determining the next major developments – he’s walked in on Gon and Pitou, who he sees is healing Komugi – the same Komugi Pouf loathes for what she’s done to his King. The perilous cease-fire between Gon and Pitou hangs by a thread, Pouf’s to destroy if he so chooses – but will he choose to? Or will he leave Pitou to follow his chosen course, and go off to locate his beloved master?
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Riliane
March 12, 2014 at 8:42 amWhile Pouf was busy stroking his own ego wile in bee size, I almost expected him to die an ironic death by beeing eaten by a random bird.
Simone
March 12, 2014 at 9:10 amThat would have been priceless XD. Well, maybe a bird wouldn't be able to kill him, even reduced like that (and assuming that his aura is split proportionally to his dimension too), but a random blow from an enraged Youpi, if he came too close? Definitely.
By the way, is it just me who looks at Pouf and sees Light Yagami? Their psycho faces are soooo alike.
jim
March 12, 2014 at 9:19 amI've liked pouf ever sinced he freaked out in sync to dramatic violin music.
he's probably my favorite to watch out of all the royal guard.
If and when he dies, I hope it's a good one fitting for him and his melodrama.
whemleh
March 12, 2014 at 12:09 pmIt took me way too long to figure out who the person in the cocoon might be. Now that I have… Dammit. I certainly hope I'm wrong.
I may still be underestimating Pouf. He strikes me as too much of a wild card to be of much help to either side. No matter his decision about Komugi I see him going down soon, whether it be by Pitou or Killua/Meleoron.
I've actually been wondering for a while what became of Hina, she just seemed to have vanished. Should have known better than to think she'd been forgotten about. Now, if we can get some clarification on that Gyro interlude from 30 or so episodes back..
admin
March 12, 2014 at 1:35 pmI don't think you're wrong about the cocoon. Me either.
SummonedSquall
March 12, 2014 at 7:41 pmThe thing about Pouf is that his devotion to the King is fanatical and toxic; as mentioned earlier, not only does he set unrealistic standards for himself to live up to, but he also does the same for the King as well. Since his unrealistic ideals can't possibly be achieved given the current situation – Pouf won't allow Komugi to be with the King so that he won't prevent the Chimera Ants from subjugating humanity, but to do so defies the King's orders given to Pitou which Pouf absolutely feels that he cannot do – I'd say your assessment of him as a "wild card" is absolutely correct.
But rather than being too unpredictable, I'd say that Pouf's potential to do anything – combined with his beyond formidable Nen ability – is what makes him such an absolute terror in the current situation.
While Pitou and Youpi are both solely devoting themselves to the King's wishes, Pouf's thought process appears more independent than his companions; his attitude towards Komugi is proof enough of that. If we say that Pitou and Youpi are two extreme ends of a spectrum, Pouf is everything else in between. This guy could do ANYTHING in response to the threats that the assassination squad presents rather than react in the fairly predictable ways that Pitou and Youpi did. This is what paints Pouf as a bigger threat than his fellow Royal Guards.
Onix Franceschini
March 12, 2014 at 1:43 pmThe preview had a great amount of "oooooh" moments, and I don't even know what to expect next week. Things are getting to the point of pain having to wait a week between episodes.
Carrie
March 12, 2014 at 2:33 pmI think I like tiny deranged Pouf's better than the other 2 royal guard combined haha it was beautiful. I get the feeling he's now going to join the fight in a big way though, it doesn't make sense for him to actually find the king because no one knows where the King is and besides that showdown should be and epic 1v1 hopefully!
hgfdsahjkl
March 12, 2014 at 9:06 pmThere's just nobody like Togashi Yoshihiro ,true that ,I have always called that man a genius
I have said it for years,its clear that Togashi puts alot of passion ,care and love in HxH contrary to what people say about him losing interest,there is just no way to write something like that unless you put 100% of your heart and spirit into it,I'm sure that togashi loves and holds HxH in his heart
hgfdsahjkl
March 12, 2014 at 10:28 pmand again,damn it I like pouf's VA
admin
March 12, 2014 at 11:16 pmNormally I don't, but this is far and way his best-ever performance. The connection between good writing and good acting can't be overestimated.
Altritter
March 13, 2014 at 3:16 amI've heard him in a few other series before this and I honestly didn't even think Hatano was capable of as much emotion as he displays with Pouf. In all of his other roles I've seen he seems to play the same general kind of character; Deadpan and/or extremely level-headed and low-key. Pouf has some elements of that but in other ways he couldn't be more different.
Nadavu
March 13, 2014 at 7:50 pmI spent the last month marathoning Hunter, and have now caught up.
What a ride.
Flaiboy
March 14, 2014 at 5:39 amI've noticed that APR hasn't increased in size the way it did during Knuckle's fight with Gon. I wonder if that's cuz Youpi's Nen is just so insanely huge, and maybe APR is giving us an indication that there is still quite a ways to go before Youpi goes banckrupt.
elianthos80
March 18, 2014 at 9:29 pmSaved this for last.
Ah, Pouf. In the absence of Hisoka you've really grown on me :,) . You psycho butterfly you *squeezes* and dem clones.
We went back to Gon and Pitou sooner than I hoped nad boy that's some tension there. I suspect Gon's extreme focus would be a hard one for even Pouf to deal with. *popcorns* You show'em who's master Freecs-baby 8D.
Meleoron's ability has really turned up to be a key Hunter's side X factor so far. May it keep being so…
I have the nagging suspicious Bizeff might actually survive the ordeal ^__^"""". Sneaky little turd this one.
Last but not least. That cocccon. FUUUUUUUUU—- T_T In any case… how can it 'hatch' without a Queen? I'm a bit fuzzy on the specifics in this case.